E99 
.17 B6 



0^ h 



<: 






5 . 






"/, 



























>p^^ 



A- - (i\\ »« //h 






^0' 



4 o 







rO 



\ 



\ 






t' 



The , 

Iroquois Confederacy 



ITS POLITICAL SYSTEM, 3IILITAIIY SYSTEM, 

MARRIAGES, i)iyORCES, PROPERTY 

RIGHTS, ETC. 



CHICAGO : 

RUFUS BLANCHARD, 

1902 






tN SXOtiANOj* 




^^^ '' )90 



INTRODUCTION. 

The Druid age of England was its age of heroic vir- 
tues. There was no literature there then, no laws, no 
prisons, and, substantially, no crime. Withal, this age 
produced the elements of England's present grandeur 
in everything that pertains to this age. But during 
this age, there was an influence at work in pagan 
Greece destined to act as schoolmaster to the English 
people to produce such a result. 

The Iroquois Nation, who inhabited the present 
state of New York previous to the advent of white 
men, may be compared in some respects to the 
ancient Druids of England. They had their heroic 
virtues and their traditional literature. They had 
their unwritten laws; with penalties for the transgres- 
sion of them, which could| not be^evaded. Their politi- 
cal wisdom laid the foundation for their nationality on 
a similar plan to that which has been practiced by 
European nations. ' They were justly called the 
" Romans of the New World," and their influence upon 
our colonial system and upon its ultimate destinies is 
manifest in its political and financial system. It is an 
interesting study to arrive at the facts, how this 
remarkable people rose to so much prominence as to 
foreshadow a financial and political policy that is with 
us now. 

RuFUS Blanchard. 
Chicago, October, 1902. 



THE IROQUOIS — THEIR INFLUENCE ON THE 
UNITED STATES. 

Of the three nations who first beg-an the settle- 
ments of North America, the Spanish was the first ; 
they settled at St. Augustine in Florida in 1565. The 
French was the next ; they settled at Port Royal (now 
Annapolis) on the Bay of Fundy in 1604, also at Quebec 
on the St. Lawrence river in 1608. The English settled 
at Jamestown on the James river in 1607, and at Ply- 
mouth in 1620. Of these nations the Spanish was the 
only one that disregarded the force and influence of 
the aborigines of the soil, making no attempt at any 
political alliance with them ; and it is doubtless due to 
this- hauteur and the intolerant disposition that pro- 
duced it, that Spain lost all her possessions on this 
continent soon after she came into juxtaposition with 
the French or the English colonists. Both of these two 
latter nations were circumspectful in their demeanor 
toward the natives, and each took early measures to 
form alliances with them. Neither of them at first had 
any knowledge of the vast extent and value of the great 
interior of North America. Fortunately for the Eng- 
lish, their interests became identified with the Iroquois 
confederacy from the first ; and unfortunately for the 
French, they became the enemies of this confederacy 
by having allied themselves to the Adirondacks and 
other tribes of Canada contiguous to their settlements, 
which tribes were enemies of the Iroquois. 

The Dutch exploration of the Hudson river bears 
the date of 1609, and their first settlement at Fort 



8 Infltience of the Iroquois on the United States. 

Orange (now Albany) the date of 1615. From thence- 
forward there was an unremitting rivalry in the fur 
trade between the Dutch of the Hudson river and the 
French of the St. Lawrence river. When the English, 
under the duke of York, took possession of New 
Amsterdam (now New York) in 1664, and of the entire 
Hudson river country with this conquest, none of the 
conditions existing between the Iroquois confederacy 
and the Dutch were changed ; but, on the contrary, 
commercial relations consisting of an exchange of furs 
and peltries on one side and firearms and trinkets 
on the other continued the alliance of their interests, 
and strengthened their friendship. Pending this 
increasing friendliness between the English and the 
Iroquois, the French were almost constantly at war 
with this powerful confederacy ; sometimes to defend 
their Canadian allies and sometimes to defend even 
themselves from Iroquois invasion. One of the first 
acts of French hostility against the Iroquois had 
place soon after Champlain had settled Quebec in 1608, 
at which time he unwittingly consented to lead a party 
of his allies against their old time foes, the Iroquois, 
and met them the next year, 1609, on the banks of 
Lake Champlain, defeating them in battle, the Indian 
weapons— bows and arrows— being insufficient to match 
the firearms of the French. Later, in 1615, Champlain, 
at the head of a small company of French soldiers, 
joined some Hurons in an expedition against the Sene- 
cas, one of the five Iroquois nations south of Lake 
Ontario. Proceeding into the enemy's country to the 
neighborhood of Lake Canandaigua, he discovered a 
fort occupied by the enemy, which he attacked after 
some skirmishes with the enemy outside of its inclos- 
ure, accompanied with losses in killed and wounded on 
both sides. The French attack against this fort lasted 
three hours, and resulted in the wounding of a few 
French soldiers and more of the Huron allies. Cham- 
plain himself had received three painful, but not 



Influence of the Iroquois on the United States. 



9 



dangerous, wounds, when the French and their allies 
retreated. This Indian fort was a masterpiece of 
workmanship for defense, so built as to shield its de- 
fenders from attack, its barricades being about thirty 
feet high. As will be seen in the picture of it, here- 
with presented, the French had built a platform on 




ABORIGINAL IROQUOIS FORT. 



trestle work as high as the fort, and twenty stalwart 
men carried this platform from where it was built to its 
walls. From its height, which commanded the inside 
ground of the fort, sharpshooters were stationed ; but 
the foes were concealed behind ingenious constructions 
of woodwork in the fort itself. 



10 Influence of the Iroquois on the United States. 

The most characteristic name ever given to the 
Iroquois confederacy was the "Romans of the New 
World." 

This confederacy first consisted of the Mohawks, 
the Onondag-as, the Senecas, the Oneidas, the Cayugas! 
In 1715 the Tuscaroras, a tribe from North Carolina 
who spoke the same language, were admitted into the 
confederacy. How this tribe, who were evidently of 
Iroquois stock, had wandered to that place is not 
known, but it is known that they had been hard pressed 
by the neighboring tribes in that vicinity, and naturally 
drifted toward their kinsfolk, the Iroquois, for protec- 
tion. They were admitted into the league as a con- 
stituent tribe on terms of equality and independence, 
except that they were not allowed to be represented 
in the general council of sachems. 

POLITICAL ORGANIZATION. 

The Six Nations of the Iroquois,^ including the 
Tuscaroras, were subdivided into 4*=i^esf wliich were 
arranged in two divisions, and named as follows : 

Wolf, Bear, Beaver, Turtle. 

Deer, Snipe, Heron, Hawk. 

The Senecas had eight tribes, the .Ca5aigas eight, 
the Tuscaroras seven, the Onondagas eight, the Oneidas 
three and the Mohawks three. By the original laws of 
the league, neither of these tribes could intermarry. 
Either of the first four tribes could intermarry with 
either of the last four. When a young man went to 
another tribe for a wife, the mothers of the lovers 
respectively must negotiate for the marriage. These 
laws made a still stronger bond in the league. Under 
them the husband and wife were of different tribes. 
The children always followed the tribe of the mother, 
who inherited the property of her deceased husband^ 
and the value of this property, however small, must 
necessarily be entailed to a different tribe from that to 
which the deceased husband belonged. The son could 
not inherit his father's sachemship or wampum. These 



Influence of the Iroquois on the United states. 11 

laws of heredity strengthened the socialistic ties of the 
different tribes. They were strictly obeyed and could 
not be deviated from except under penalty of social 
ostracism. Divorces were seldom desired, but if any 
inharmony existed between married couples, the 
mothers of each party were expected to settle such 
differences. In case thev could not be settled amicably 
either party was at liberty to break the marriage rela- 
tion without censure. . -, • i 

In their religion they had no word m their lan- 
guage which could express profanity to the Great 
Spirit (their deity), whom every one revered with 
pious adoration. . 

According to the best traditionary testimony, the 
Iroquois League or Ho-de-no-sau-nee was formulated 
bv Da-ga-no-we-da, one of the wise men of the Onon- 
d'aga Nation. Under his eloquent tutelage he induced 
the wise men and chiefs of the Iroquois Nations to 
hold a "Council Fire" on the northern shore of Onon- 
daga lake, where after grave consultation the celebrated 
League was entered into. The object of this League 
was for mutual protection against other tribes. The 
principle involved aimed at an empire, wherewith to 
hold the "balance of power," not essentially different 
from the doctrine of the balance of power question 
which has prevailed for more than a century ^ Europe. 
At the formation of the League fifty men noted for their 
wisdom were appointed sachems (each tribe bemg rep- 
resented), with authority to make all political laws for 
the government of the entire Iroquois Nation. The 
sachemship was made hereditary, as well as the indi- 
vidual title. The ratification of the general council of 
all the sachems was necessary at the ceremony of in- 
vesting each with his title and confirming his authority. 
The sachems were of equal rank, but, like our own rep- 
resentative men in congress, their influence was com- 
mensurate with their political sagacity and eloquence^ 
The power of the sachems was found insufficient to 



12 Influence of the IroquoU on the United States. 

answer the wants of the Nation, and some years after 
the founding: of the League the office of "Chiefs" was 
instituted, whose authority was given them by the pop- 
ular voice according to merit, deserved for some act 
Of bravery or for wise counsel. To the chiefs were 
assigned military expeditions and council in civil mat- 
ters when occasion required it. The council of sachems, 
at the raising up of a chief, - substituted a ne-w name 
for his original name, appropriate to his qualifications. 
The orator '•Red Jacket," when made a chief, was 
given the name "Sa-go-ye-wat-ha "-"Keeper Awake " 
in appreciation of his powers of eloquence, instead of 
his original name, "0-te-ti-an-i"- "Always Ready." 
The foregoing tribal relations to the entire League 
resemble the political status of the United Statef- 
the different tribes in their respective localities repre- 
sen ing the different states of the American vZl, 
subject to congress and the United States senate The 
- h' ='['=/°.^'ei-ned by the constitution, which has to 

be guarded with tenacity to prevent infri;gement upon 

^ was thHr'Tf •'\"°"""-" I-- among the Iroquois 
; was their safeguard against the violation of their un- 
written constitution by tribes or individuals 

siderft''t"''"?""T' <^^°P'^ °* t""^ Long House) be- 
sides the People of the Confederacy, was a term with 
the Iroquois Nation that had a similar significance 
to the Iroquois Nation that the term Uncle Sam has to 
the peop e of the United States. Between the Hudson 

han^. 1 L^^'"^"'^*^ °" the north to the Susqiie- 

of the Tr°o T'^ *'^ Long House, or the domains 
the f!- 7"™' *"^'''' "■a««P'-^='d out and constituted 
the fairest portions of the entire country, as it was 

liZlT f"^"^''- The Onondaga Nation, being 

situated in cen ral position, were made the keepers of 
both the council brand and of the wampum, by which 
the structure and principles of their government, and 
their laws and treaties were memorized (a retentive 



Influence of the Iroquois on the United States. 13 

memory was a requisite necessary in the sachem ap- 
pointed as keeper of the wampum). At stated periods, 
usually in the autumn of each year, the sachems of 
the League assembled in council, at Onondaga, to legis- 
late for the common welfare. Exigencies of a public 
or domestic character often led to summoning of their 
council at other seasons; but the place of session was 
not confined to Onondaga. It could be held in the 
territory of either of the Nations, under established 
usages. 

Though the Iroquois brought the Delawares and 
other tribes to the south under temporary allegiance, 
yet their greatest force was employed to subjugate 
tribes to the west of them, especially the Illinois tribes, 
who had felt the weight of their avenging hand before 
the French came to their rescue. La Salle, in 1682, 
had persuaded the Senecas, by dint of much flattery 
and many presents, to allow him to build a vessel at the 
eastern extremity of Lake Erie, wherewith to convey 
men and goods to the Illinois country. The same year 
Tonty, his lieutenant, built a fort on Starved Rock, for 
defense of both the French and the Illinois tribes 
against Iroquois invasion, which gave the Illinois tribes 
a respite from the visitation of their enemies; but the 
French never succeeded in establishing uninterrupted 
communication between Canada and the west suffi- 
ciently to prevent the English from getting the lion's 
share of the western fur trade through Iroquois inter- 
vention and protection. The ambition of the French 
during these and following years was to possess and 
control the St. Lawrence valley, the Mississippi valley 
and the region of the Great Lakes. The English, on 
their part, held the Atlantic seaboard and the Hudson 
river country with a firm grip. Their alliance with the 
Iroquois made them invulnerable, but this same alliance 
rendered French possessions precarious. This uncer- 
tainty prevailed till the French and Indian war began 
in 1755. It raged seven years. The French had in 



14 In-fluence of the Iroqiiou^ on tht rnittd Sfafes. 

their alliance the entire Indian tribes of Canada and 
the valley of the Mississippi. M-hile the Eno-lish relied 
upon the faithful Iroquois to help tio-ht their battles. 
For years the issue trembled in the balance, till at last 
the conquest of Quebec, by General Wolfe, settled this 
stupendous question, and substantially ^-avo the entire 
country to the l\ni^-lish in 17<;0. 

At the close of this war there was a strong- eft'ort 
made in the British cabinet to leave the French in 
possession of Canada and the Mississippi valley, assert- 
ing- that the French power left here would be a con- 
stant menace to the English colonists: thereby insuring- 
their loyalty to the mother country, in (nxler to protec't 
themselves from French ag-g-ression. Pitt, the g-reat 
English statesman, M-ould not listen to this unnecessary 
and timid policy, as he termed it, and insisted on driv- 
ing- the French entirely out of Xorth America, and 
establishing- English colonial rule in its place. 

During- this eventful war, had the Iroquois fought 
in favor of the French instead oi the Eng-lish, the 
whole interior of the continent, embracing- the coun- 
tries along- the St. Lawrence river, the g-reat chain of 
lakes and the Mississippi valley, including- the Ohio 
river valley, must have remained in the hands of the 
French and remained indefinitely under French laws. 
Under this regime there could have been no revolt 
of the thirteen American colonies, at least |for a cen- 
tury. There could have been no United States, no Great 
Republic to stimulate invention and intrcnluce the re-. 
forms which have startled the world during- the last 
century. There would have been no Washixgtox, no 
Franklin and no Lincoln. 



Chicago, May, 1(581. 

Kl.MJS Jil,A.'.f.f/AI'f>, 

Dear Sir: 
W<! h.'iv<; r<;f;<:iv<;'] an'l r':;i'J your book, " Thf: fjiscovery an«^3 Conquests 
of the Northwest, with th'; history of Chira^o," and t;ik«; this means of 
bearing our testimony to the ze.'il, industry, tnorough re-search and faithful 
record made by y<ju, of the- times and events covered by your volume. We 
think you are entitled to public gratitude for the ability with which you have 
collected this store of hiAorical detail concerning the early history of the 
Northwest, esj>ecial)y of Illinoi» and Chicago, and for the entertaining 
manner in which you have presented that history for the instruction of 
present and future generations. 

J Voiy'Nf; SCAMMON, W. F FOOLK, 

If. VV. H/.ooGKTT, J. W. Shkahan, 

A.N'/>KhW SUIJMAN, 

ZhJii.N'A Kastman, 
Wjlijuk F. Stokky, 
O. F. Ff;i,/,RK, 
Gko «<■;!-: Sc h .n- ki oer , 
J. S, Ki;mskv, 
Mark Skinnkr. 



J. -Mki 
W. H. 



ii^iij,, 
Whlls, 
Wm. Ajjjjmch, 

G. S. liUJillAKD, 

j. fJ. Cato.w, 
l-'KJ<Kv H., Smith, 

f/KA.NT fjfjfJjjHJCH, 

VV.M. IffcNKv Smith, 



WllJJAM Hl-AIk, 

H. W. Rav'mo.ni.., 
C. fi. l-Aywhi.K, 
Makshai-k Fikld, 
O. VV. Nixo.w, 
L. Z. Lkitkk, 
John A. Jamkson, 

The above is a copv of a circular presented me at the time of the 
publication of the book described. Jt is now to be republished with 
revisions and another volume added to it — the whole to oe complete in 
twelve parts. 

R. B. 

Chicaoo, January, IH'JQ. 
RuFUS Blanchard, 

/J ear Sir: 
Realizing, as we do, the importance of an authentic history of Chicago 
from cotempKjrary sources, to be handed down from our own times to 
futurity, v/e, the undersigned, hereby approve the opinions given, in the 
above circular, by the signers thereof, and we confide to you our assistance 
in continuing the work. 




^«<^' 



^^r,y^_ 




--^^^^.-^t-^O^iMM/i/yjuLi 



%£i 







^UJfCJuOi. 





"^^^^^^^."^^^^ 




'^^runVJ2{yr\ ^}y^^^^^.^<M<^^L^ 







(Z^u, ^^^^.X^^^^r^, 



y 



\^ 






[im:^"'.° 



•# 









'^^, 






O " » ♦ ^ . 



. * ' ^<0 







3^ .'\'^. 9-, 



^oV^ 












0^ ^"'"^ '\?^ V^ ' 













-■ „, \ '"^ J''-'- ■^^°' ^°"-' 







DOBBSBROS. -i^ - .y O '>^i^^. O ^^ ^K 



